tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:blogdestructoidhttp://bulk2.destructoid.com/ele2/images/destructoid/favicon.ico2015-08-02T13:30:00Ztag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296953Dealzonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/DealzonWeekend Summer Sales: GameStop, GamersGate, & PSN2015-08-02T13:30:00Z2015-08-02T13:30:00Z<p>August is still summer and thus the sale train continues. EA titles were understandably missing-in-action during Steam's Summer Sale back in June - so if you want historic low prices on <em>Titanfall Deluxe</em> or <em>SimCity Complete</em>, they're both on sale during&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/gamestop-coupon-sale?drc=dtoid">GameStop's PC Summer Sale</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;$4.99 and $7.50, respectively. The sale is running for a ludicrously long 5 week period, with new batch of stuff coming out every Monday.</p>
<p>Earlier this Thursday, Sweden-based GamersGate fired up their <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/gamersgate-sale#gg-summer-sale?drc=dtoid">own sale</a> with deals a plenty. Top pick for this weekend including <em>Saints Row Franchise Pack</em> for $11 and <em>Dead Island GOTY</em> for $5. Their sale is running until August 11th -- a much more reasonable time frame.</p>
<p>Last among the Summer Sales can be found at the PlayStation Store. They're offering a <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/playstation-network-sale?drc=dtoid">decent selection of titles</a>, but beware that their headliner <em>Far Cry 4</em> at $35.99 is actually quite a bit cheaper at Best Buy this weekend ($19.99). As per usual with a PlayStation sale, PS Plus members gets a better discount . Most prices are still kinda meh though.</p>
<p>Non-Summer Sale related goodies includes DualShock 4 + charging station combo at Best Buy for $60, plus PlayStation TV at an <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/playstation-tv">all time low of $30</a> (slowly getting closer to free heh). Also at a great price is Borderlands TPS + Season Pass combo for $14.61 (after checking out as AUD price, strangely enough). Finally, GameStop has Duke Nuke Forever for two bucks. Yep...</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296953-summer-deals-everywhere.jpg" alt="Weekend Summer Sales: GameStop, GamersGate, & PSN screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/weekend-summer-sales-gamestop-gamersgate-psn-296953.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296957Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight2015-07-31T14:00:00Z2015-07-31T14:00:00Z<p>It sounds crazy, but 2008 was a long time ago. That's when <em>Etrian Odyssey II</em>&nbsp;was first released for the Nintendo DS, and seven years later, Atlus has decided to bring it to a new audience with&nbsp;<em>The Fafnir Knight</em>.</p>
<p>While a few of the advancements from later games don't translate perfectly, it's still a worthwhile dungeon romp, and another great entry in this storied series.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296957-ER1.jpg" alt="Review: Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-etrian-odyssey-2-untold-the-fafnir-knight-296957.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296795Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissReview: The Swindle2015-07-31T12:00:00Z2015-07-31T12:00:00Z<p>A band of thieves in Steampunk Victorian London has been tasked with preventing Scotland Yard's creation of the ultimate surveillance device: The Devil's Basilisk. If they fail to swindle said device in 100 days (read: lives), thievery as we know it will cease to exist. Who wants to live without the risk of disappearing personal belongings?</p>
<p>Strap on your goggles, grab your billy club, and get ready to earn (illicitly, of course!) the pounds necessary to launch a full-scale heist on Scotland Yard. You might also want to grab your mouthguard that you so thoughtfully and pre-emptively bought to avoid stress-grinding your teeth into a milky paste.&nbsp;<i>The Swindle&nbsp;</i>can provide you with a satisfying serving of skullduggery and subterfuge, but don't expect to steal candy from this baby.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296795-SSV1.jpg" alt="Review: The Swindle screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-the-swindle-296795.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296961Joe Parlockhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joe+ParlockNeverwinter: Strongholds might get me back into the game2015-07-31T11:00:00Z2015-07-31T11:00:00Z<p>On August 11, Perfect World will be releasing the latest expansion to their <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>-based MMO <i>Neverwinter, Strongholds.&nbsp;</i>With its action-based combat, fantastic locations, and relatively simple mechanics, <i>Neverwinter </i>managed to hold me enough to get to the endgame, but unfortunately it was there when I stopped playing. Fortunately, with <i>Strongholds </i>I might finally have a reason to get back to the game. I was shown about 30 minutes of gameplay, and walked through it by Neverwinter&rsquo;s executive producer Rob Overmyer.</p>
<p><i>Strongholds</i>&rsquo; main focus is on the guild system in the game. Guilds will be able to make a keep to share and work together to upgrade. Strongholds have been a part of&nbsp;<i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;</i>since the original release, allowing players to create and own their own space. This feature was then improved upon for&nbsp;<i>Advanced Dungeons &amp; Dragons,&nbsp;</i>introducing large-scale combat. <i>AD&amp;D</i> is&nbsp;the basis for the&nbsp;<i>Strongholds&nbsp;</i>expansion.</p>
<p>The premise sounds familiar to&nbsp;<i>World of Warcraft&nbsp;</i>players, as the latest expansion&nbsp;<i>Warlords of Draenor&nbsp;</i>introduced guild housing as well. However,&nbsp;<i>Rift, Guild Wars 2,</i>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<i>WildStar</i>&nbsp;have all had an increased focus on their guild mechanics recently too. Perfect World argues&nbsp;<i>Neverwinter Strongholds&nbsp;</i>is more part of a big change in the MMO as a genre, rather than simply following in&nbsp;<i>WoW</i>&rsquo;s&nbsp;footsteps. Whether you believe that or not is completely up to you, and I personally believe if there is a big change in MMOs right now,&nbsp;<i>Draenor&nbsp;</i>was the spark.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296961-ZZTR.jpg" alt="Neverwinter: Strongholds might get me back into the game screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/neverwinter-strongholds-might-get-me-back-into-the-game-296961.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296941Jed Whitakerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jed+WhitakerNew update and DLC out for Super Smash Bros., preview it here2015-07-31T01:30:00Z2015-07-31T01:30:00Z<p><iframe width="711" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/43o411Or7bM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The new update for <em>Super Smash Bros.</em> for Wii U and 3DS is out in the wild now, bringing with it new stages, Mii costumes, tournament mode, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/3f8hvn/the_v110_patch_changelist/">balance changes</a>.</p>
<p>Included for free in the update is a K. K. Slider costume for the Mii Gunner, which is probably the best Mii outfit yet -- instead of having a gun, you're carrying Slider's guitar!</p>
<p>Each new piece of premium content is available to purchase separately for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/">various prices</a>&nbsp;or all together in a bundle that runs $9.98 per system or $15.18 for both. The bundle includes:</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296941-s.jpg" alt="New update and DLC out for Super Smash Bros., preview it here screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/new-update-and-dlc-out-for-super-smash-bros-preview-it-here-296941.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296829Jed Whitakerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jed+WhitakerWindows 10 is now available, these are the gaming features you might care about2015-07-29T14:30:00Z2015-07-29T14:30:00Z<p>Windows 10 is now officially available, and <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-upgrade" target="_blank">those who have Windows 7 or 8 can upgrade for free</a>, which is a pretty good price for what I consider the best version of Windows yet. Windows 10 packs a bunch of new features, including some nice extras for Xbox One owners. Here is an overview of new features you might care about as someone who plays games.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296829-windows logo.jpg" alt="Windows 10 is now available, these are the gaming features you might care about screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/windows-10-is-now-available-these-are-the-gaming-features-you-might-care-about-296829.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296752Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiReview: Life is Strange: Dark Room2015-07-28T14:30:00Z2015-07-28T14:30:00Z<p>I played the fourth episode of <em>Life is Strange</em>&nbsp;with a lump in my throat. You know, the sort of uneasiness that puts a slight pressure behind your ears. The lump waned and grew with the chapter's crescendos and decrescendos, but it never really left. It stayed for upward of four hours, my little buddy to accompany me through all the poignancy and travesty that <em>Dark Room </em>had to offer.</p>
<p>It's funny -- in these moments, I just want to let Max sit. Most scenes have an interactable object where you can take a load off, reflect while some soothing music plays. For a game about exploration, I find the most comfort in chilling out for a few seconds. It feels fair to give her a break.</p>
<p>Early on in <em>Dark Room</em>, I found myself setting the controller down on the coffee table and just sitting for a full minute, that throat lump bigger than it's been yet. I could've moved, but I didn't want to. The cumulative weight of everyone's burdens hit me hard. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-life-is-strange-chaos-theory-292750.phtml">Episode three</a>&nbsp;made me care about <em>Life is Strange</em>'s characters; episode four floored me to see bad things happen to them. There's no doubt about it: <em>Dark Room</em>&nbsp;is hella effective (even if you hate that word).&nbsp;</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296752-Lis4.jpg" alt="Review: Life is Strange: Dark Room screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-life-is-strange-dark-room-296752.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296636Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: King's Quest: A Knight To Remember2015-07-28T11:30:00Z2015-07-28T11:30:00Z<p>Not all revivals or remakes instill a sense of nostalgia within me. For instance, if we ever got that sequel to <em>Kabuki Quantum Fighter</em>&nbsp;we were promised in the original's credits, I wouldn't be all that excited.</p>
<p>But <em>King's Quest</em>? I have so many fond memories of that franchise, either going at it alone, or figuring out puzzle solutions with friends and family, so the promise of a new entry after all these years warms my heart. Thankfully, The Odd Gentlemen has done right by the series, and then some.</p>
<p>I never would have expected it to be this good, much less a serious Game of the Year contender.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296636-BBC.jpg" alt="Review: King's Quest: A Knight To Remember screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-king-s-quest-a-knight-to-remember-296636.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296535Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: N++2015-07-28T10:00:00Z2015-07-28T10:00:00Z<p>I don't think anyone could have predicted to success of the original <em>N+</em>. I was sitting around my dorm, playing <em>Devil May Cry 3</em>&nbsp;for the billionth time, and my friend came in and said "dude, you have to play this game." It was <em>N+</em>, and we spent hours taking turns trying to best the single player, and even more time playing co-op.</p>
<p>For those of you who missed out on this 2008 classic, <em>N++</em>&nbsp;pretty much delivers that exact same rush.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296535-AAA.jpg" alt="Review: N++ screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-n--296535.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296612Nic Rowenhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Nic+RowenReview: Five Nights at Freddy's 42015-07-24T19:30:00Z2015-07-24T19:30:00Z<p>Well, it's been a few months, time for another <i>Five Night at Freddy's</i> game I suppose.</p>
<p>I don't like to be cynical. I don't volunteer to review games, and pay for them out of my own pocket, hoping that they'll disappoint me and I'll get to write some nasty barbs about them. I don't begrudge popular series, or accuse creators of milking a fad if something catches on.</p>
<p>But <i>Five Nights at Freddy's 4</i> is a very cynical game. Its &ldquo;<a href="http://www.destructoid.com/five-nights-at-freddy-s-4-released-early-296555.phtml" target="_blank">surprise</a>&rdquo; early release and its complete lack of any kind of innovation does disappoint me. The promise of DLC for this game, another likely release, and the cheeky rewording of &ldquo;the last chapter of the <i>Five Nights at Freddy's</i> story&rdquo; to &ldquo;the last chapter of the <i>Five Nights at Freddy's</i> <i>original</i> story&rdquo; on the Steam page for <i>Five Nights 4</i> does make me suspicious of its creator's intentions.</p>
<p>And yes, I do have some nasty barbs to say about it all.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296612-FNAF4header.jpg" alt="Review: Five Nights at Freddy's 4 screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-five-nights-at-freddy-s-4-296612.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296606Dealzonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/DealzonAsassin's Creed titles hit new low price as PC Summer Sale continues2015-07-24T12:45:00Z2015-07-24T12:45:00Z<p>Where GMG's Summer Sale ends,&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/buy/games-planet-sale?drc=dtoid">Games Planet picks up the baton</a>&nbsp;to take a stab at your wallet. The retailer's sale has been going fairly well in terms of the variety of titles at historic low prices. Fri/Sat batch includes lots of lowest ever Uplay titles such as <em>Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed: Rogue</em>, and uh... <em>Assassin's Creed: Unity</em>.</p>
<p>A new batch of "best of" deals will also make a return in about 2 hours from writing as Games Planet's sale wraps up (ending Sunday 6PM ET). We'll update the post with some of the top picks later in the day when they show up.</p>
<p>In other game deal news, retailers are trying really hard to make "Black Friday in July" a thing, and Best Buy has launched their&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dealzon.com/buy/black-friday-in-july-sale?drc=dtoid">respective sale</a>&nbsp;with the same theme. The sale is an attempt of sort as a counter to Amazon's Prime Day from earlier this month - and similar to said sale its full of no bueno deals.</p>
<p>Having said that, there are more console deals than usual and of note from the sale are various&nbsp;Xbox One bundles <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/buy/xbox-one-1tb-console?drc=dtoid">with $50 bonus</a>&nbsp;gift card. Deals listed below with two asterisks are part of the Best Buy promotion, which ends later tonight. (Edit: They're all dead. Crossed out below).</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296606-ac-rogue-deal.jpg" alt="Asassin's Creed titles hit new low price as PC Summer Sale continues screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/asassin-s-creed-titles-hit-new-low-price-as-pc-summer-sale-continues-296606.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296589Steven Hansenhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Steven+HansenHow the hell did Galak-Z hide a Gundam for three years?2015-07-24T12:00:00Z2015-07-24T12:00:00Z<p>We've covered the "<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/galak-z-is-like-spelunky-by-way-of-macross-274075.phtml"><em>Spelunky</em> by way of <em>Macross</em></a>" space shooting roguelike for a couple of years now and the follow-up from <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-skulls-of-the-shogun-242551.phtml">Skulls of the Shogun</a></em> developer 17-bit is almost here, coming to PS4 August 4 and PC a few months down the line (regrettably, the Vita version was axed).</p>
<p>And despite this, despite it being playable at a number of different shows, the team managed to basically keep half of the game under wraps until just this week when 17-bit head Jake Kazdal stopped by my house to give a hands-on demo of <em>Galak-Z</em>'s spaceship's second mode, which is basically a Gundam.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296589-galakz.jpg" alt="How the hell did Galak-Z hide a Gundam for three years? screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/how-the-hell-did-galak-z-hide-a-gundam-for-three-years--296589.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296525Joe Parlockhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joe+ParlockMy trip to the National Videogame Arcade2015-07-24T03:00:00Z2015-07-24T03:00:00Z<p>Last week, I was given a tour of the National Videogame Arcade in Nottingham, England by the Director, Iain Simons.</p>
<p>Going in, I wasn&rsquo;t entirely sure what to expect. I knew it wasn&rsquo;t your bog-standard arcade with <i>Time Crisis, Dance Dance Revolution</i>, but I also wasn&rsquo;t entirely sure if it was closer to a museum either. Since it opened in March 2015, I&rsquo;ve heard plenty of things about events hosted there &ndash; <i>Minecraft </i>weekends, Gamejams, developer meetup evenings and the like, but never really about what&rsquo;s there on a more permanent basis.</p>
<p>But now I&rsquo;ve been, I can explain it pretty simply: it&rsquo;s not about games in the same way a convention like PAX or E3 is. If anything, the NVA is much more about the medium rather than the end product, a centre about the creation of games and the underlying ideas behind games than any other games-related place I&rsquo;ve ever been.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296525-nva2.jpg" alt="My trip to the National Videogame Arcade screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/my-trip-to-the-national-videogame-arcade-296525.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296492Jed Whitakerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jed+WhitakerVideo game movies to watch this weekend instead of Pixels2015-07-23T16:30:00Z2015-07-23T16:30:00Z<p>This week <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/some-jerk-ruined-pixels-perfect-zero-rotten-tomatoes-score-296467.phtml">the critically lampooned <em>Pixels</em>&nbsp;movie</a> opens in theaters nationwide in the United States, and if you'd rather spend your time and money on movies that don't blow consider these other video game-related films. Don't worry though, this list won't just be the movies you've all seen before, because I'm so much cooler than that.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296492-pixels.jpg" alt="Video game movies to watch this weekend instead of Pixels screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/video-game-movies-to-watch-this-weekend-instead-of-pixels-296492.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296317Kyle MacGregorhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Kyle+MacGregorReview: Onechanbara Z2: Chaos2015-07-22T16:30:00Z2015-07-22T16:30:00Z<p><i>Onechanbara Z2: Chaos</i> is a game that wraps its identity around sex and violence like few others.</p>
<p>This is, of course, nothing new for the series. Styling itself after exploitation films, <em>Onechanbara</em> has survived for over a decade by flaunting cleavage and gore,&nbsp;brazenly&nbsp;prioritizing it above all else.</p>
<p>The franchise doesn't seem to have lofty aspirations, preferring to hew more closely to its budget-priced roots than evolve into something even remotely reminiscent a top-tier action game. Instead of glittering graphics, first-class mechanics, or even a decent story, <em>Onechanbara</em> focuses its attention on zombie-slaying girls in skimpy outfits, letting almost everything else fall by the wayside.</p>
<p><em>Z2: Chaos</em>, though,<em> Z2: Chaos</em> is better. Not particularly good, mind you. But better still.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296317-onechanbara.jpg" alt="Review: Onechanbara Z2: Chaos screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-onechanbara-z2-chaos-296317.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295900Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+Carter100% Series Retrospective: Batman: Arkham2015-07-22T11:45:00Z2015-07-22T11:45:00Z<p>As I mentioned <a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/100-series-retrospective-diablo-282794.phtml">in my last update</a>, it's been tough to commit to my Carter's Quest series ever since I took over the role of Reviews Director, as directing reviews takes up nearly all of my time. But every so often, a franchise grabs hold of me for better or for worse, and I feel the inherent need to talk about it as a whole.</p>
<p>One of my recent projects has been the <em>Arkham</em>&nbsp;series, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/what-the-hell-was-rocksteady-thinking-with-batman-arkham-knight-s-riddler--296185.phtml">you may have caught my efforts</a> to 100% <em>Arkham Knight</em>. Now that I'm finally victorious, I feel like I have a grasp on where&nbsp;<em>Knight</em>&nbsp;falls on the <em>Arkham</em>&nbsp;spectrum.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295900-BB1.jpg" alt="100% Series Retrospective: Batman: Arkham screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/100-series-retrospective-batman-arkham-295900.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296414Jordan Devorehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jordan+DevoreReview: Trials Fusion: Awesome Level Max2015-07-21T19:00:00Z2015-07-21T19:00:00Z<p>Why would <em>Trials Fusion</em> drop its motorbikes for a gun-toting cat on a unicorn?</p>
<p>Because it's funny.</p>
<p>The touchy controls transfer to your new ride, so when you inevitably lose balance, the quadruped will start hoofing it on two legs. If you're anything like me, you'll burst out in laughter.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296414-h1.jpg" alt="Review: Trials Fusion: Awesome Level Max screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-trials-fusion-awesome-level-max-296414.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296063Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Tembo the Badass Elephant2015-07-20T09:00:00Z2015-07-20T09:00:00Z<p>When someone told me that the developer of <em>Pokemon</em>&nbsp;was creating an action platformer called <em>Tembo the Badass Elephant</em>, I knew I had to give it a shot.</p>
<p>While a few of the design choices are a bit odd, they don't overshadow the sum of its parts.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296063-AA4.jpg" alt="Review: Tembo the Badass Elephant screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-tembo-the-badass-elephant-296063.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296222Dealzonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Dealzon$5 Fallout 3 GOTY and Metro Redux titles2015-07-18T09:30:00Z2015-07-18T09:30:00Z<p>GMG's Summer Sale turns day nine and with it comes a batch of post-apocalyptic games. Because if there's one thing human like to do -- it's make believe everything has gone to poo. <em>Fallout 3 GOTY</em> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/fallout-3?drc=dtoid">turns $5.44</a> while <em>New Vegas</em> is $2 (though strangely Ultimate Edition is not on sale).</p>
<p>The special deal to watch for are <em>Metro Redux</em> titles <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/metro-last-light?drc=dtoid">at $5 a piece</a>, or both games for $8. This makes it historic low price based on robot-san's price history. We recommend paying the extra $3 to get both games.</p>
<p>Other top deals includes a Lenovo Y40 gaming laptop <a href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/lenovo-y40-laptop?drc=dtoid:lenovo-y40-80-80fa001eus" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">for only $599 after coupon</a>. Sure its not going to run Crysis 6 at 8K, 60fps - but the Broadwell based Core i5 and mid-range-ish Radeon R9 M275 will run most new games at medium settings - and that's not so bad for a $600 laptop.</p>
<p>Finally our pal at Gamefly <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/gamefly-sale?drc=dtoid">has a bunch of used</a> PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games on sale. We listed about 22 titles below. Shipping is free and Gamefly used copies are generally of good working order (in fact we've gotten like new copies before, though thats of course not a guaranteed).</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296222-vault-boy-fallout-deals.jpg" alt="$5 Fallout 3 GOTY and Metro Redux titles screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/-5-fallout-3-goty-and-metro-redux-titles-296222.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296087Jed Whitakerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jed+WhitakerReview: Odallus: The Dark Call2015-07-16T12:00:00Z2015-07-16T12:00:00Z<p>JoyMasher, the Brazilian team behind <em>Odallus: The Dark Call</em>&nbsp;doesn't have a ton of games under its belt,&nbsp;but that doesn't mean it can't produce quality content. Somehow the developer has done something Konami hasn't in many years: it made a great&nbsp;<em>Castlevania</em>&nbsp;game -- just without that particular moniker.</p>
<p>If you've been looking to relive the pixel glory days of <em>Castlevania</em>, look no further than <em>Odallus: The Dark Call</em>.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/296087-cutscene1animatedbig.gif" alt="Review: Odallus: The Dark Call screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-odallus-the-dark-call-296087.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=296013Steven Hansenhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Steven+HansenDeep Silver drops Dead Island 2 developer Yager2015-07-14T16:31:00Z2015-07-14T16:31:00Z<p>Deep Silver has announced it is parting ways with <em>Dead Island 2</em> developer Yager (<em>Spec Ops: The Line</em>). Just a few months ago, Deep Silver delayed the game into 2016 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/deep-silver-delays-dead-island-2-291287.phtml">over quality concerns</a>.</p>
<p>The publisher made this announcement with a brief statement, writing:</p>
<p>"With <em>Dead Island 2</em>, Deep Silver has always been dedicated to delivering the sequel that <em>Dead Island</em> fans deserve. After careful consideration, today we announce the decision to part ways with development partner YAGER. We will continue working towards bringing our vision of <em>Dead Island 2</em> to life, and we will share further information at a later stage."</p>
<p>Deep Silver recently split with original <em>Dead Island</em> developer Techland. The latter went on to make this year's <em>Dying Light</em> for Warner Bros.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296013-deadis2.jpg" alt="Deep Silver drops Dead Island 2 developer Yager screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295971Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissReview: Rocket League2015-07-14T16:00:00Z2015-07-14T16:00:00Z<p>A good chunk of today's onslaught of complex games has convoluted controls, alienating lore, and feature creep that can sometimes be overwhelming. Every so often, a developer comes along and makes something that just seems nice and digestible -- no need to research the best character build or wiki-scan to catch up on the plot.</p>
<p>And sometimes that tasty little morsel is a driving/soccer sandwich.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295971-rocketheader.jpg" alt="Review: Rocket League screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-rocket-league-295971.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295688Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Batman: Arkham Knight - Batgirl: A Matter of Family2015-07-14T09:15:00Z2015-07-14T09:15:00Z<p>Enough time has passed for me to make a solid judgement on <em>Batman: Arkham Knight</em>. For the most part, I agree with the sentiments expressed in <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-batman-arkham-knight-294804.phtml" target="_blank">Steven's review of the core game</a> -- Rocksteady tried too hard in many respects, and ended up coming up short. "Be the Bat[mobile]" would have been a more apt tagline.</p>
<p>With all that in mind, the prospect of a new add-on being released so soon -- developed by&nbsp;WB Games Montreal no less -- probably isn't all that exciting.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295688-BG1.jpg" alt="Review: Batman: Arkham Knight - Batgirl: A Matter of Family screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-batman-arkham-knight-batgirl-a-matter-of-family-295688.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295432Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess2015-07-14T08:00:00Z2015-07-14T08:00:00Z<p>I really liked the original release of <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-deception-iv-blood-ties-272064.phtml">Deception IV</a></em>.&nbsp;It was refreshing to see the series get another lease on life after taking a hiatus with <em>Trapt</em> all the way back in 2005, and newcomer&nbsp;Laegrinna fit right in.</p>
<p>This time around with the sorta-kind expansion&nbsp;<em>The Nightmare Princess</em>,&nbsp;the additions are only going to please hardcore fans of the series. Having said that, if you haven't played a <em>Deception</em>&nbsp;game in a while, this is a great place to start.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295432-DD0.jpg" alt="Review: Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-deception-iv-the-nightmare-princess-295432.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295869Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiNintendo president Satoru Iwata passes away at 552015-07-12T19:10:00Z2015-07-12T19:10:00Z<p>It's a sad day for the video game world. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata passed away yesterday at 55 years of age. The cause of his unfortunate death was a bile duct growth.</p>
<p>Nintendo announced the news with a brief one-sentence <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713e.pdf" target="_blank">notification</a> of death and personnel change of a representative director. Iwata had served as Nintendo's president since May 2002. Iwata effectively spent his entire career at Nintendo, beginning at HAL Laboratory, Inc. on titles such as <em>EarthBound</em>&nbsp;and the <i>Kirby</i>&nbsp;series.&nbsp;He was the fourth president in Nintendo history, taking over after Hiroshi Yamauchi retired.</p>
<p>Nintendo's remaining representative directors are Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda.</p>
<p>In 2014, Iwata took time away from the public spotlight for medical reasons. It was later revealed to be for a surgery to remove a tumor on his bile duct. It seems as if that ailment ultimately proved fatal.</p>
<p>Our thoughts are with Iwata's family, friends, and loved ones. The video game community lost a respected visionary with his passing. May he rest in peace.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150713e.pdf" target="_blank">Notification of Death and Personnel Change of a Representative Director (President)</a>&nbsp;[Nintendo]</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295869-IwataHeader.jpg" alt="Nintendo president Satoru Iwata passes away at 55 screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295827Jed Whitakerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jed+WhitakerReview: Nekoburo: Cats Block2015-07-12T11:00:00Z2015-07-12T11:00:00Z<p>I love pussies, my dad loves pussies and my Grand Peppers loved pussies before he met his untimely demise on that trampoline -- RIP Grand Peppers may you continue to love pussies in the afterlife. But, we are all fluent in the language of the pussy. Unfortunately whoever was tasked with translating <em>Nekoburo: Cats Block</em>&nbsp;from Japanese into English was clearly not fluent in either language.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Luckily, story isn't that important in a game about making square space cats go ass-to-mouth like a cat block centipede.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/295827-1.jpg" alt="Review: Nekoburo: Cats Block screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-nekoburo-cats-block-295827.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295790Dealzonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Dealzon$8 Dishonored GOTY in day numero dos of GMG Summer Sale2015-07-11T12:30:00Z2015-07-11T12:30:00Z<p>The weekend arrives and GMG's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/green-man-gaming-coupon-voucher?drc=dtoid:gmg-summer-sale" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">2015 Summer Sale</a>&nbsp;chugs on to day two. Some decent pickings this round with <em>Dishonored GOTY</em> for only $8 (plus you get a freebie mystery game). <em>Hotline Miami 2</em> also hit a historic low price but the damn thing is OOS somehow - here's hoping it makes a return during the encore phase of the sale next week.</p>
<p>Day 2 theme includes lots of FPS titles, everything from <em>Half-Life</em> series to <em>Doom</em>, <em>Duke Nukem</em>, <em>Shadow Warrior</em>, and <em>Counter-Strike</em>. <em>Sniper Elite</em> titles are also on sale but they're not lowest ever so we recommend holding off on them.</p>
<p>In console land, a few deals are available including PS4 and Xbox One bundles are reasonable prices, plus the PS TV makes a return at $40 (again). Good pickings for games includes used copies of <em>Dragon Age Inquisition</em> for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/cheap-dragon-age-inquisition?drc=dtoid">only $18</a>. It's a good price for a game with few flaws and an excellent 3rd installment to the series.</p>
<p>Finally, <em>Destiny</em> is on sale for $20 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dealzon.com/deals/destiny?dtc=dtoid">across all platforms</a>. We'd wait for the $5 bargain bin price but that's just us.&nbsp;&macr;\_(&#12484;)_/&macr;</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/295790-dishonored-goty-dtoid-weekend-deals.jpg" alt="$8 Dishonored GOTY in day numero dos of GMG Summer Sale screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/-8-dishonored-goty-in-day-numero-dos-of-gmg-summer-sale-295790.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295474Jonathan Holmeshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jonathan+HolmesReview: Skullgirls 2nd Encore2015-07-11T11:00:00Z2015-07-11T11:00:00Z<p><em>Skullgirls</em> is one of my favorite fighting games ever. With an innovative combat engine spearheaded by top tier&nbsp;<em>BlazBlue</em> expert Mike Z, animation direction by Mariel Cartwright, and world and character design by Alex Ahad, the game has rightfully found a large and passionate audience since it was first released a few years ago. In a lot of ways, <em>Skullgirls, Divekick, Yatagarasu</em>, and a few others recent releases are emblematic of distinctly modern approach to fighting game development, as they all have tournament level players of other fighting games on their dev teams.</p>
<p>The kids who grew up playing, and eventually mastering, the fighting games of the 90's and 00's are now old enough to make games themselves. That knowledge and passion for the genre can be a double-edged sword. Not every casual player will get all the subtle (or not so subtle) reference in these games. They also may not be able to relate to the intense passion that the devs clearly feel for the under-the-hood, nuts and bolts that make the genre tick.</p>
<p>For those that do, <em>Skullgirls 2nd Encore</em> is as good as fighting games get.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/295474-Skullgirlsheader.jpg" alt="Review: Skullgirls 2nd Encore screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-skullgirls-2nd-encore-295474.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295680Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterJeff Goldbum is in Call of Duty: Black Ops III's Cthulu-vibe Zombies mode!2015-07-09T16:00:00Z2015-07-09T16:00:00Z<p><iframe width="711" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kdLqsWDl16c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Activision has sent us a great deal of information regarding <em>Call of Duty: Black Ops III</em>'s upcoming zombie mode today, revealed at its San Diego Comic-Con panel. For starters, the all-new zombies cast features Jeff Goldblum (!), Heather Graham, Neal McDonough (love this guy), Ron Perlman (love him too), and Robert Picardo. It's called "Shadows of Evil," and will launch with the game on November 6.</p>
<p>It apparently features the biggest narrative yet, and is featured in a 1940s "film-noir era" setting, with magician, femme-fatale, cop, and boxer archetypes. You can take a look at the game's upcoming special editions and some screenshots below. Deluxe, Hardened and Juggernog editions have been announced, with the latter coming with a mini-fridge.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-supremacy-293187.phtml" target="_blank">I still enjoy zombies to this day</a>, so I'm in for this. Say what you will about <i>Call of Duty</i>, but Treyarch does it right. I'm also officially taking this time to re-brand <em>COD</em>&nbsp;as <em>COG</em>&nbsp;-- <em>Call of Goldblum</em>.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295680-FFA.jpg" alt="Jeff Goldbum is in Call of Duty: Black Ops III's Cthulu-vibe Zombies mode! screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/jeff-goldbum-is-in-call-of-duty-black-ops-iii-s-cthulu-vibe-zombies-mode--295680.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:http://www.destructoid.com/,2015:/post.phtml?pk=295486Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiReview: Spectra2015-07-09T08:00:00Z2015-07-09T08:00:00Z<p><em>Spectra</em>&nbsp;isn't a lot of things. It isn't complicated; its mechanics and entire premise can be learned in literally five seconds. It isn't structured; level design is eschewed for procedural generation. It isn't long; an hour of playing will have unlocked all the tracks with plenty of time to retry the many failed ones.</p>
<p>Probably most important: it isn't really fun.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/295486-SpectraHeader.jpg" alt="Review: Spectra screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-spectra-295486.phtml">Read more...</a>